System and method for measuring bodily impact events

Abstract

A system for detecting head impacts comprises a sensor for detecting acceleration and providing a signal representative of applied impacts, a display, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive data from the acceleration sensor and determine whether a magnitude of an impact exceeds a threshold. In response to a magnitude of an impact exceeding the threshold, the system displays a cumulative report of impacts exceeding the threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for detecting head impacts comprising:
 a device including:
 a sensor for detecting acceleration of the device and producing a signal indicating an impact; 
 a display for displaying at least one character; and 
 a processor configured to:
 receive data from the sensor and determine a count of one or more impacts exceeding at least one predetermined threshold. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device is attached to a selected one of a helmet, cap, eyewear, and headband. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the device is integrated into a selected one of a helmet, cap and headband. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one motion sensor to activate the device from a low power mode. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the motion sensor turns on the device after the device has been turned off. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising persistent memory storage. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD). 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a light emitting diode (LED) light, wherein the processor is further configured to turn the light on in response to at least one impact exceeding a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 provide an indication in response to the count exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine a magnitude for each of a plurality of impacts in response to receiving a corresponding signal from the sensor;   determine a modified set of magnitudes for a plurality of impacts, including one or more previous impacts by, reducing the magnitude for at least one of the previous impacts according to an elapsed time; and   determine an impact dose by summing each element of the modified set of magnitudes.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 display the impact dose on the display in response to an applied impact.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 display an indication of the impact dose at regular time intervals.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the indication comprises a blinking sequence of lights. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the device includes a light, and the processor is further configured to enable the light to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the device includes a sound generator, and the processor is further configured to enable the sound generator to generate a sound to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the device includes a tactile output generator, and the processor is further configured to enable the tactile output generator to generate a tactile output to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the device includes a wireless transmitter, and the processor is further configured to transmit an alert to a receiver via the wireless transmitter in response to an impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the device further indicates an alert by a selected one of a tactile, audible, and wireless response. 
     
     
         19 . A method for detecting head impacts comprising:
 receiving data from a sensor for detecting acceleration and producing a signal indicating an impact;   determining a count of one or more impacts exceeding at least one predetermined threshold; and   displaying information about a least one of the one or more impacts on a character display.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a device comprising the sensor and display is attached to a selected one of a helmet, cap, eyewear, and headband. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the device is integrated into a selected one of a helmet, cap and headband. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising activating the device from a low power mode in response to detecting motion of the device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising turning the device on in response to detecting motion of the device after the device has been turned off. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising storing information about a least one of the one or more impacts in a persistent memory storage. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD). 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 turning on a light emitting diode (LED) in response to at least one impact exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 providing an indication in response to the count exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining a magnitude for each of a plurality of impacts in response to receiving a corresponding signal from the sensor;   determining a modified set of magnitudes for a plurality of impacts, including one or more previous impacts by, reducing the magnitude for at least one of the previous impacts according to an elapsed time; and   determining an impact dose by summing each element of the modified set of magnitudes.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 displaying the impact dose on the display in response to an applied impact.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 displaying an indication of the impact dose at regular time intervals.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the indication comprises a blinking sequence of lights. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 enabling a light to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 generating a sound to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 generating a tactile output to indicate an alert in response to the impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 transmitting an alert to a receiver via a wireless transmitter in response to an impact dose exceeding a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 indicating the alert by a selected one of a tactile, audible, and wireless transmission response.